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Clean, new, great staff! Nice rooms, they put down the nets and then spray for bugs. Can be a little noisy, but hey its StoneTown! Close to the Gardens and old Fort. Awesome rooptop patio. We saw a NYE performance that was absolutely fantastic.

Room Tip: Courtyard, not the street rooms!

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Stayed January 2013, traveled with friends

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1Thank Drunkmuppet

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This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.

There is these nice hotel with very poor service and bad location, Maru Maru is one of them. Thebrestaurant has a nice view yes on the top of hotel, but the service is so poor that you may look forn your meañ instead of the view (one hour to get a small salad).

another small details (these small details count at the end), I was unable to use my credit card duento network problem at the cashier (but we had internet in the room) and all the surrounding ATM where not working (a bit embarassing when you're on leave).

A last one, noisy in e evening....I will never come back here

Room Tip: Please choose the Tembo Hotel near by, there is a nice view on the sea, cheaper and with swimming po...

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Stayed January 2013, traveled with family

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4Thank nesao

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We didn't stay at the hotel, but when we walked through the building I wish we had been. It seemed to mix the old and the new so well, and had a really refreshing feel about it.

We went for happy hour sundowners on the rooftop bar, and it was a really good vibe. The drinks were delicious, there were barbecue snacks on offer, the music was really mellow and suited the environment. The whole set up made it feel quite Mediterranean with the white walls and views out over the rooftops and ocean.

Fantastic place to watch the sunset.

Stayed October 2012, traveled as a couple

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Pros:- excellent location for exploring Stone Town on foot (including walking to/from restaurants at night)- lovely well kept, clean and pretty colonial building- nicely appointed rooms with decent bathroom and shower- welcoming and friendly staff- great views from the panoramic rooftop terrace- breakfast served on the roof terrace (nice ambience);

What could have been better: - The noise in the evenings: the music on the rooftop bar was a tad bit loud but what made it worse was the echo effect of the central courtyard which unfortunately amplified it and made it quite bad. I am not normally fussy about noise and I can sleep easily but on the first night I used my earplugs to fall asleep. On the positive it did not go on for too long and it was over by midnight, after which it was very quiet. - One day it was raining and I asked for an umbrella at reception. They had run out. I think in this kind of hotel they should have at least one umbrella per room.- it would have been nice to have wi-fi on the roof terrace (if not in the rooms) and not just at reception, though this is not such a big deal for me on holiday. - breakfast was OK, not the worst I have ever had while travelling but nothing to wow me; Just about adequate. Staff did not know what a poached egg was when I asked for one.

Overall a good hotel which I would consider using again if I was to go back to Stone Town thought probably not for long stays just because of the noise in the evenings.

Room Tip: See if you can ask for a room away from the central courtyard, it may be less noisy.

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Stayed January 2013, traveled as a couple

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2Thank Ros_in_wonderland

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We loved this hotel! It is truly a gem in the middle of hot, noisy, chaotic Stone Town. The location is great with only a few minutes walk to the Forodhani Gardens, restaurants and shopping. We were really impressed with the the traditional style (the courtyard was beautiful) mixed with modern amenities. Service was excellent - from the moment we walked in we felt pampered. The room was spotless, spacious and the bathroom was the best we had in Tanzania (loved the shower!). Everything was at a much higher standard than we expected with lots of attention to detail. The letter of welcome in the room was a nice personal touch. The hotel felt very safe and secure which was important to us as we were two women travelling on our own. There is a rooftop terrace with an amazing view of the harbour where we had our breakfast. Our only disappointment was that we were only there for one night and missed the sunset from it. Overall, excellent value for the price.

Stayed January 2013, traveled with friends

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2Thank powerbase2

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We been there twice in January, when flying in (3am) and out (2am), one week later.

The first night, we had to knock on the door for 5 minutes to get an answer and wait for another 15 minutes until somebody opened the door, but they gave us a late check-out.

The hotel is new and clean, the rooms quite bright, but this place does not bring the same "cachet" as other properties around in the same price range.

For the second night, we tried to get a "half-night" bargain directly at the hotel, but they just offered us a 20% discount on the rack rate, which was still 20% higher than hotels.com current offer. That time, that was not as good as the first one: we went to sleep at 8pm, but the patio was really noisy until 10:30pm and the lounge plays loud music until 11:30pm.

Stayed January 2013

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1Thank OneAdvisedTravaller

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Maru maru a new hotel surrounded by the beauty of Stone town with great staff who are welcoming and always willing to go out of their way 24/7, to ensure an unforgettable experience. The rooms are of high standard. My experience there is being in a 5 star hotel.

Stayed January 2013, traveled with friends

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1Thank RafikiZanzibar

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Set in the heart of the UNESCO world heritage site of StoneTown, Maru Maru Hotel is just a few steps from the city’s historical wonders, colourful markets and labyrinth of shops. Once a town house famous for its marble floors and tiles, it has now been lovingly restored to offer 44 bright rooms blending classic Zanzibar style with iconic design and modern luxuries. Its roof terrace offers one of the best views in the city with a 360° panorama and is the perfect place to enjoy a cocktail as the sun melts into the Indian Ocean. The relaxed ambiance at Maru Maru continues long into the night as people come to enjoy a vast variety of Continental, Chinese Indian and Swahili cuisine, view art in Maru Maru’s gallery and enjoy the captivating sound of Tahareb music as it floats into the night....more less

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Also Known As:

Maru Maru Hotel Zanzibar Island/Stone Town

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